BYLAWS
AMERICAN FOOTBALL COACHES’ WIVES ASSOCIATION

Adopted January 11, 1989
National Convention
Nashville, Tennessee

Amended January 9, 1990
National Convention
San Francisco, California

Amended January 9, 1991
National Convention
New Orleans, Louisiana

Amended January 7, 1997
National Convention
Orlando, Florida

Amended January 7, 2003
National Convention
New Orleans, Louisiana

Amended January 6, 2004
National Convention
Orlando, Florida
Mary Barnett’s corrections 1/26/04

Article 1
Name
Section 1
The name of this organization shall be American Football Coaches’ Wives Association (AFCWA).

Article II
Purpose
Section 1
The purpose of AFCWA shall be to promote camaraderie, offer support, and provide information to all members.
Section 2 AFCWA is a Not-For-Profit organization that may have a service project determined by a majority vote of the general membership.

Article III
Membership
Section 1
The membership of AFCWA shall be open to all wives of active, allied, retired, or deceased members of AFCA (American Football Coaches Association).

Article IV
Finance
Section 1
Annual dues shall be collected during the January Convention and will be due by April 1. The amount of dues shall be voted on each January for the succeeding year.
Section 2
Only current members may vote.
Section 3
Funds must be voted on for our service project by a two-thirds majority of the members present at the annual meeting.

Article V
Governing Body
Section 1
The governing body of AFCWA is the Board of Directors. The board shall supervise the affairs of AFCWA between the annual meetings, set the time and place of the meetings, make recommendations to AFCWA, and perform such other duties as are specified by these Bylaws.
Section 2
The Board of Directors shall consist of 16 members plus the wife of the Executive Director of AFCA and the wife of the current President of AFCA as an honorary member. A change in the size of the Board of Directors shall be determined by the membership at large one year in advance of any change.
Section 3
Meetings of the Board may be called by the President or by written request of three members of the Board. Board meetings may be conducted via telecommunications A simple majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 4
The Board of Directors shall elect officers annually prior to the first official board meeting at the convention. Each Board member, Committee Chairman, or Officer shall receive at that time a folder from the previous office holder containing the bylaws of AFCWA, interpretations, past minutes, job description, duty logs, and any other materials deemed necessary by the preceding Board.
Section 5
The President shall serve as moderator of the Board meetings and the next General Meeting.
Section 6
The Vice-President shall perform duties assigned by the Board and, when necessary, perform the duties of the President. She shall serve as President-elect.
Section 7
The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings and handle all correspondence.
Section 8
The Treasurer shall collect annual dues and have custody of all itemized Treasurer’s reports. The Report shall be audited by the Finance Committee annually by July 1, and by an outside auditing firm chosen by the Finance Committee by August 1.
She will register all members and maintain a membership roster.
Section 9
The Editor shall compile and distribute a newsletter three times per year to all paid members. She may be a Board member or a member of AFCWA appointed by the Board. If the Editor is not an elected Board member, the Board may have the Editor sit in at Board meetings as a non-voting member.
Section 10
The Past President shall chair the Nomination Committee and assist and advise the President.
Section 11
Other Officers and Committees may be created and elected as the Board sees fit. The Board of Directors may also hire help by a simple majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Section 12
AFCWA shall have a Board of Trustees consisting of Past Presidents. The Trustees shall have no vote or membership on the Board of Directors but shall function to assist and advise the Board of Directors in all matters, especially those matters concerning endowments, service projects and investments. Trustees in attendance at the first trustee meeting at the AFCWA National Convention shall elect two Trustees each year as Trustee Chairmen. Their duties will be to chair all Trustee meetings for that year, to send a written report of all Trustee AFCWA meetings to all Trustees, and to communicate with all Trustees prior to Convention to determine who will be in attendance at the next AFCWA Convention. They will determine the number of trustees who will be in attendance at any AFCWA meetings. The Trustees shall receive minutes of all AFCWA Board of Directors meetings.

Article VI
Term of Office
Section 1
Term of office on the Board shall be five years. Fifth year members of the Board shall rotate off annually. The only exception to this rule may be the Past President. A Board member may be re-elected two years after her previous full term has expired or re-elected two years after her unfulfilled service in order to complete her five year term.
Section 2
The Nomination Committee shall be chaired by the immediate Past President with the remaining representative members appointed by the President, the number at her discretion. The process of selecting new board members shall begin with the identification of the needs of the board with particular attention to diversity and specific job needs. Board position openings and specific needs of those openings shall be posted in the Newsletters and on the Website. All members shall be encouraged to submit their applications for consideration for available board positions. The Nominating Committee shall evaluate all applications received by the stated deadline with respect to the posted needs. This application evaluation process shall be completed by November 1. The new Board Members shall be elected by a majority of the board, with respect to the stated needs, prior to the convention and shall be presented to the membership at large at the Convention Business meeting.
Section 3
A Board member may resign at any time. Should her husband permanently leave the profession for any reason other than retirement or death, her resignation will be automatic. A replacement shall be appointed by a simple majority of the Board until the next January annual meeting and election.

Article VII
Parliamentary Authority
Section 1
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern AFCWA in cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the bylaws and any special rules of order of this organization.

Article VIII
Amendments
Section 1
The Bylaws may be amended at the annual General Meeting of AFCWA by a two-thirds vote of current paid members present, provided the amendment has been submitted in writing to the President of the Board before the meeting.